Let’s continue celebrating the spookiest month of the year: Halloween. After counting down vampire girls and black cat girls, let’s move on to ghost girls. These girls might be ghosts, but it doesn’t make them less alive than normal girls. It also doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve some love. These ghost girls may haunt our houses and streets, but they also haunt our hearts.
1. Nanana Ryugajo (Nanana’s Buried Treasure)
A cute monster girl to start our list. Our first ghost girl’s sad story contrasts with her upbeat attitude. She was murdered in her own room ten years ago. Her killer, her alcoholic roommate with a dragon tattoo, used a magical knife that gave her an immortal soul. Since then, Nanana is bound to her own room, ending her legendary adventures. She idled her time away playing video games and eating pudding. Her lonely days ended when Jugo began renting her room.
Kazuma Otorino, Akaringo, and later Non, worked on the original light novel series from January 30, 2012 to December 28th, 2016. Enterbrain published all twelve volumes under the Famitsu Bunko imprint.
2. Shizu “Oshizu” Murasame (To LOVE-Ru)
Oshizu died over 400 years ago in an abandoned school building. The time she came from has been described as a “living hell” due to famine and drought. Her time in the modern world is comparatively better. Meeting Rito and the others prompted her to explore her new time, and accidentally get Rito into lewd trouble because of her powers.
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Saki Hasemi wrote, and Kentaro Yabuki illustrated Lala’s harem plan from April 24, 2006 to March 4, 2017. Shueisha published the series in 36 volumes in Weekly Shonen Jump.
3. Kinu “Okinu” Himuro (Ghost Sweeper Mikami)
Kinu was sacrificed to stop a volcano’s eruption 300 years ago. This attempt failed, and only resulted in her becoming an earthbound ghost. Years later, she would meet Reiko Mikami and Tadao Yokoshima, two exorcists hunting two ghosts who were causing chaos by some hot springs. Kinu’s role on the mountain was later taken by another spirit, freeing her to ascend to Heaven. However, she didn’t know how to do it, so Mikami took her in as a secretary.
Takashi Shiina wrote and illustrated this series between May 8th, 1991 and September 22nd, 1999. Shogakukan published all 39 volumes in Weekly Shonen Sunday.
4. Elizabeth (Maburaho)
Elizabeth was once a member of a noble family during the reign of the Holy Roman Empire. It’s unknown how she ended up residing in an old mansion that was built between Aoi Academy’s male and female dorms. She pursued Kazuki and the girls after she was driven out by Kuriko Kazetsubaki’s workers. Elizabeth demanded the suit of armor that she watched over. Kazuki used one of his godlike spells to resolve the situation. Later, Elizabeth saw that Kuriko greatly resembled the knight who guarded her in the past. Following their encounter, Kuriko “adopted” Elizabeth as her own, and allowed the ghost girl to hide in her chest.
Toshihiko Tsukiji and Eiji Komatsu worked on the original light novel from August 2000 to January 2011. Fujimi Shobo published all 30 volumes in Dragon Magazine.
5. Misao Minakami (Asura Cryin’)
Misao died three years before the story begins. She died in a plane crash, the same incident her childhood friend Tomoharu Natsume barely survived. Misao remains in the world due to her love of Tomoharu. The two discover that the world is far more dangerous than they thought, so Misao acts as a “Burial Doll” that allows Tomoharu to use the Asura Machina Kurogane to face those dangers.
Gakuto Mikumo and Nao Watanuki worked on the original light novel between July 10th, 2005 and February 10th, 2010. ASCII Media Works published all fourteen volumes in the Dengeki Bunko imprint.
6. Sayo Aisaka (Negima!)
Sayo died roughly sixty years before the series began. She doesn’t dwell on her own demise, so the circumstances remain obscure. Sayo remained at Mahora the entire time, though only two people could see her. She remained without friends or hope until Negi arrived and her existence was revealed to the class. Afterwards, she had plenty of friends and magical adventures.
Ken Akamatsu created the original manga series from February 26th, 2003 to March 14, 2012. Kodansha released all 38 volumes in the pages of Weekly Shonen Magazine.
7. Yuna Yunohana (Yuna and the Haunted Hot Springs / Yuragi-sou no Yuna-san)
Yuna has been haunting room 4 of the Yuragi Inn. She has no memories of her life, nor of how she died. In fact, she doesn’t recall how she ended up at the Yuragi Inn. Despite her mysterious past, Yuna is a bright and cheerful ghost girl who does her best to help her friends. Her incredible powers can be used both for comical moments, such as when she accidentally knocked Kogarashi out when they got into the bath at the same time, or when she dominates enemies on the battlefield. Yuna isn’t the only supernatural beauty to take up residence at the Yuragi Inn. A cute oni girl is known to spend time there as well.
Joe has written extensive reviews of Yuragi-sou no Yuuna-san. The J-List X/Twitter page has also shared a very cultured clip and GIF that may convince people to watch or rewatch the series.
Tadahiro Miura worked on the original manga series between February 8th, 2016 and June 8th, 2020. Shueisha has published all 24 volumes in Weekly Shonen Jump.
8. Meiko “Menma” Honma (Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day)
Let’s be honest, I’d never be forgiven for not including Menma on a ghost girls list. Her story is a bittersweet tale from start to finish, and only the most hardened otaku should try to watch Anohana. Menma died several years ago, and her death had a profound effect on her group of friends. After sixth grade, her friends drifted apart, which left its own mark on her. Menma appeared to an older Jinta and asked for his help to grant her wish. She appeared older, but her tendencies and her clothes remained the same. Menma’s friends reunited to grant her wish and see her pass to the afterlife.
The real-life Super Peace Busters Tatsuyuki Nagai, Mari Okada and Masayoshi Tanaka worked together to create this series. It first appeared as a serial novel published by Media Factory from March 2011 to July 2011 in Da Vinci.
9. Fuko Ibuki (Clannad)
Here’s another ghost girl who had to be on this list no matter what. Unlike the other cute ghosts here, Fuko is actually still alive. The real Fuko is in a coma in a hospital, while her spirit is free to wander around. She’s one of the ikiryo, or living spirits in the series. Fuko is known for her love of starfish, which she enjoys carving from wood. Her goal is to carve a bunch of them and hand them out at her older sister’s wedding. Her goal is accomplished with some help from Nagisa and Tomoya, and on such short notice, too.
Key, with Jun Maeda and Itaru Hinoue at the helm, developed and released this visual novel on April 28, 2004.
10. Dee Ensy Stratmitos (Sunday Without God / Kami-sama no Inai Nichiyobi)
Dee is a benevolent spirit known as the “Witch of the West.” She traveled the world that was abandoned by God offering advice and guidance wherever she was needed. Dee travels with Alice and Ai to uncover the truth of the godforsaken world while dealing with the undead who maniacally prey on the living.
Kimihito Irie and Shino created the light novel series from January 20th, 2010 to May 20th, 2014. Fujimi Shobo published all nine volumes in the Fujimi Fantasia Bunko imprint.
Honorable Mention: Perona (One Piece)
Okay, so Perona isn’t a ghost girl herself. She’s alive and she has a physical body, as cultured artists have noticed. However, Perona controls ghosts thanks to her Devil Fruit Power. The “Ghost Princess” Perona ate the Horo Horo no Mi (Hollow-Hollow Fruit) that allows her to create ghosts that negatively affect people they pass through, create explosions whose power varies depending on the size of the ghost, and spy on enemies for Perona. She’s also able to force her spirit out of her own body, but she does not have the same ghost powers that her created ghosts possess. She used these powers to great success as both a cute villain and ally.
Eiichiro Oda began writing and drawing this series on July 22nd, 1997. Shueisha has published 106 volumes thus far.
What do you make of our list of spooky and cute ghost girls? Did you find new favorites here? Who would you suggest for a similar list? Let us know in the comments below.
